# Cynicism. Pass It On **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 10, 2012, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cynicism-pass-it-on/634265 "2012-09-10T02:50:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cynicism-pass-it-on/634265/1 "2012-09-10T02:50:29Z")
Am I the only one who is unable to take those[Values.com motivational billboards](http://www.values.com/inspirational-sayings-billboards) at face value? The sentiment they express really can’t be argued with, yet they’ve always made me uneasy- especially after seeing one yesterday extolling the virtues of Henry Ford, of all people. ---
**Author:** ![BrassyPhrase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BrassyPhrase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrassyPhrase)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cynicism-pass-it-on/634265/2 "2012-09-10T03:07:22Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > Am I the only one who is unable to take those[Values.com motivational billboards](http://www.values.com/inspirational-sayings-billboards) at face value? The sentiment they express really can’t be argued with, yet they’ve always made me uneasy- especially after seeing one yesterday extolling the virtues of Henry Ford, of all people. I was looking at your link and I went “Oh THAT is what that Kermit billboard is about!” So far, that’s the only one I’ve seen. But mostly, I thought they were okay and motivating. (I mean yeah, Ford was not a very nice guy at all, but he did (or is given credit for) creating the assembly line. And his thing was “Innovation”.) Then I looked at the part that asks what value is important to you? I clicked Compassion. They had Mother Theresa. Ummmm…yeah I guess she did some good things. But she also was entirely against birth control in an INCREDIBLY overpopulous area. I don’t call that compassion, personally. Most of them were pretty nice and inspirational though. I am curious who’s funding it. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cynicism-pass-it-on/634265/3 "2012-09-10T03:29:20Z")
I find Brooks Dame’s a very bad idea; I am sure he is a wonderful person, but I would rather people were not discouraged from donating bone marrow. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cynicism-pass-it-on/634265/4 "2012-09-10T03:32:07Z")
> [@BrassyPhrase](#): > > I am curious who’s funding it. A really rich dude named [Philip Anschutz,](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Anschutz) through The Anschutz Foundation. The President is some guy named Gary Dixon, but I can’t find much about him. [They don’t take money, but they do accept donated billboard space, television or radio air time and other media space to put their stuff in/on.](http://www.values.com/about-us/faq#give) **j666** , why do you think that would discourage bone marrow donation? (I know nothing about the guy.) ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cynicism-pass-it-on/634265/5 "2012-09-10T03:32:52Z")
> [@BrassyPhrase](#): > > I was looking at your link and I went “Oh THAT is what that Kermit billboard is about!” So far, that’s the only one I’ve seen. But mostly, I thought they were okay and motivating. (I mean yeah, Ford was not a very nice guy at all, but he did (or is given credit for) creating the assembly line. And his thing was “Innovation”.) > > Then I looked at the part that asks what value is important to you? I clicked Compassion. They had Mother Theresa. Ummmm…yeah I guess she did some good things. But she also was entirely against birth control in an INCREDIBLY overpopulous area. I don’t call that compassion, personally. > > Most of them were pretty nice and inspirational though. > > I am curious who’s funding it. “Where does the money come from to support your public service campaigns? Public service media, by definition, is donated by the television, theatre, outdoor, print, and radio media outlets. Their generous contribution of time and space allow these messages to be seen and heard around the world.” ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cynicism-pass-it-on/634265/6 "2012-09-10T04:09:51Z")
> [@j666](#): > > I find Brooks Dame’s a very bad idea; I am sure he is a wonderful person, but I would rather people were not discouraged from donating bone marrow. Yes, this one could have been better done/chosen. Be The Match is a very cool opportunity. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cynicism-pass-it-on/634265/7 "2012-09-10T04:17:59Z")
Overall, I really like the tone of this campaign. It doesn’t push a specific political agenda or religious agenda. That’s pretty doggone refreshing and rather rare these days. Re: the Mother Teresa board. Compassion is pretty hard to put in a single picture. What comes to mind for me is the compassion the Amish community had for the family of the guy who burst into their schoolhouse shooting all and sundry. Now, _that’s_ compassion. Donating bone marrow isn’t much of a sacrifice IMO, it just makes sense to do so if you can. Your own marrow will grow back. Now, donating a kidney is amazing. Or, think of all the people who have put off further education in order to earn some money for their family or to help put a sibling through school. Think of the soldiers and their families who are enduring several tours of duty. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cynicism-pass-it-on/634265/8 "2012-09-10T17:30:06Z")
Can we start a campaign to get some of these up on public billboards? [http://www.despair.com/demotivation.html](http://www.despair.com/demotivation.html) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cynicism-pass-it-on/634265/9 "2012-09-10T17:32:49Z")
Pass on cynicism? What’s in it for me? ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cynicism-pass-it-on/634265/10 "2012-09-10T19:17:13Z")
:: yawn :: I knew you would ask that. ---
**Author:** ![cynyc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@cynyc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cynyc)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cynicism-pass-it-on/634265/11 "2012-09-10T19:43:33Z")
What would I know about cynycism? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cynicism-pass-it-on/634265/12 "2012-09-10T19:50:21Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > A really rich dude named [Philip Anschutz,](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Anschutz) through The Anschutz Foundation. That’s outrageous! My great-grandmother was killed at Anschutz!☹ ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cynicism-pass-it-on/634265/13 "2012-09-10T20:06:30Z")
I find them somewhat creepy, especially en-mass like that. I’m not sure I can articulate why exactly. Something about reducing a complex human life to a slogan maybe. I can certainly find fault with some of them. Take the Churchill one: > [@](#): > > Never, never, never, give up. Sadly, Hitler also subscribed to this ethos. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cynicism-pass-it-on/634265/14 "2012-09-10T20:20:29Z")
Godwin! ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cynicism-pass-it-on/634265/15 "2012-09-10T20:35:06Z")
Yeah, I know. The point remains though, many of these values aren’t virtues in isolation. ---
**Author:** ![sunstone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunstone/32/3372_2.png) [@sunstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunstone)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2012, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cynicism-pass-it-on/634265/16 "2012-09-11T02:14:48Z")
Once, Teddy Roosevelt asked that laws be passed to limit the contributions of commercial companies to political campaigns. When I used his words in opposition to Citizens United, my son pointed out (correctly) that TR had in fact accepted large sums from industry in a recent election. My son missed the point - good ideas come from flawed people - otherwise it wouldn’t be extraordinary, would it? We wouldn’t be inspired by words from a perfect human;we would consider such a person god-like. But then I prefer to be a pollyanna. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2012, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cynicism-pass-it-on/634265/17 "2012-09-11T02:26:21Z")
> [@sunstone](#): > > When I used his words in opposition to Citizens United, my son pointed out (correctly) that TR had in fact accepted large sums from industry in a **recent** election. bolding mine Was he in the Republican primary? ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2012, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cynicism-pass-it-on/634265/18 "2012-09-11T03:03:50Z")
I haven’t seen the billboards but I saw some ads on TV over the weekend that I’m guessing were from the same group. My wife: “That ad makes me want to cry.” Me: “That ad makes me want to barf.” So yeah, call me a cynic. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2012, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cynicism-pass-it-on/634265/19 "2012-09-11T04:00:08Z")
[Despair.com](http://www.despair.com/viewall.html) was absolutely _made_ for people like the OP and me. Three of my favorite posters on their web page are captioned: “ACHIEVEMENT – You can do anything you set your mind to when you have vision, determination, and an endless supply of expendable labor” “MOTIVATION – If a pretty poster and a cute saying are all it takes to motivate you, you probably have a very easy job. The kind robots will be doing soon.” “BELIEVE IN YOURSELF – because the rest of us think you’re an idiot.” ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2012, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cynicism-pass-it-on/634265/20 "2012-09-11T08:52:12Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > “ACHIEVEMENT – You can do anything you set your mind to when you have vision, determination, and an endless supply of expendable labor” The background to that one was a picture of the Great Pyramid. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cynicism-pass-it-on/634265.md?page=2)